Wanted A Real Family(12)

Sara supposed they’d have to go over the policy Conrad had taken out on their house when he’d bought it.

“I can take Amy on a walk, if you’d like,” Jase offered. “But we’ll stay within shouting distance if you need us. Can we see some ID?” Jase asked the man.

Kiplinger didn’t look put out at all, just took his wallet from his pocket and opened it to his driver’s license. Then he took a security ID badge from an inside pocket. He showed them that, too. “I’m not an ax murderer,” he assured them. “I have a briefcase inside my car that has Mrs. Stevens’s policy inside, if you’d like to see that, too.”

Sara believed he was who he said he was. She crouched down in front of Amy. “Would you like to go for a walk with Mr. Jase?”

Amy glanced down at the stone in her hand, then up at Jase. “Can we find more stones?”

“We can collect as many as you want.” He held out his hand to her and she took it.

As Jase and her daughter walked off, Sara wished she was going with them, rather than stepping inside with Ross Kiplinger. But the sooner she received her fire insurance settlement, the sooner she and Amy would have a normal life again...the sooner they would leave Raintree Winery.

* * *

Jase and Amy traipsed along the trellises, looking for anything interesting to explore. Amy was entranced by the shape of a leaf, the length of a vine shoot, a tiny yellow flower that was simply a weed. He knew caring for a child was a heavy responsibility, but he imagined that the joy of living with one could balance that out. All those years he had taken pictures of kids, he hadn’t really considered being a dad himself, maybe because he knew nothing about lasting relationships. Maybe because since he’d returned home, the taste of the betrayal was still too bitter in his mouth. Dana’s involvement with another man while they were engaged, her desertion when he was at his lowest, still stirred resentment he’d like to rid himself of. Most days he pushed the past away and it stayed packed in the boxes up in the attic along with his cameras. But, for some reason, inviting Sara to the vineyard had unearthed much of it.

Sound carried across the vineyard and he heard the rumble of the black car’s engine as it started up. Kiplinger had been with Sara close to an hour.

Amy was stooped on the ground, her red-brown hair falling over her shoulders as she studied a bug crawling through the dirt. He crouched down beside her.

“That’s a busy bug, but I think we’re going to have to leave him for now. I bet your mom’s missing you.”

Amy looked up at Jase. “She cries sometimes. I don’t want her to cry.”

Out of the mouths of babes. Did Sara cry because she missed her husband? Did she still love him? Or had losing everything in the fire caused her tears to flow? She gave the impression that she was strong and could handle anything, but at night, when she was alone, what thoughts ran through her head?

“We wouldn’t want to make her cry. Come on, let’s go back and make her smile. I bet she always smiles when she sees you.”

It only took them about ten minutes to make their way through the rows and find the path that led to the cottage. All was quiet as they approached. Jase was actually a little surprised that Sara didn’t come to meet them. A shout across the vineyard rows, and she would have known where they were.

Jase could see Sara through the screen door. She was sitting on the sofa, staring into space.

Amy pulled open the door and ran toward her, holding out the stones in her little hand.

“Mommy, look what I found.”

Sara immediately took her daughter into her arms, gave her a hug and said, “Let me see.”

But Jase could tell the sound of her voice was forced. He could see her smile wobble. What had gone on with that insurance investigator?

“We’ll have to put your stones in a box. We’ll make it a treasure box.”

“I’ll put it under my bed.”

“That’s a great idea. But right now we have to get you washed up and ready for bed. Jase, thanks for taking her on a walk.”

“I need to snitch one of your bottles of water. Why don’t you put Amy to bed, and then we can talk about your visitor.”

Sara’s eyes grew wide and she looked almost fearful. “There’s no need—”

“I think there is. You look a little shaken up and I’d like to know why.”

She glanced down at Amy. “Honey, why don’t you go wash your hands and brush your teeth. I’ll be in in a minute.”

“Are you going to look for a box?”

“I will. Go on, now.”

When Amy had left the room, Sara squared her shoulders. “I’m fine, Jase. Really. There’s no need for you to stay.”